Real Madrid's summer rebuild under José Mourinho was supposed to be the easy part of the job — sign four proven internationals, hand the Portuguese a squad built for his football, and let him get on with reclaiming the title. According to ONE, that phase is done. The harder one is only just starting.
The arrivals have been emphatic. Marc Cucurella joined from Chelsea in a deal reportedly worth up to €55 million, Bernardo Silva walked in for free after his contract at Manchester City expired, Ibrahima Konaté signed as a free agent through June 2030, and Denzel Dumfries completed a four-year move from Inter Milan. Four internationals, four positions strengthened, and a clear signal that Florentino Pérez has backed his new coach.
But ONE's report on Mourinho's project makes clear the puzzle isn't finished — it has simply moved from who comes in to who goes out. Weeks ago, the outlet reported that Mourinho had already handed Pérez a list of six players he does not consider part of his plans: Rodrygo, Eduardo Camavinga, Franco Mastantuono, Fran García, Raúl Asencio and Dani Ceballos.
Of that group, Asencio is now described as the most likely to leave. The young centre-back was one of the breakout stories of last season's Castilla-to-first-team pipeline, but Mourinho reportedly wants another established defensive option brought in, and a sale would help fund it.
Camavinga's situation is murkier. The Frenchman is one of the more talented and versatile midfielders in the squad and remains under contract until 2029, but ONE reports genuine interest from clubs in England. Real Madrid would demand a substantial fee for a player of his profile and age, but his standing under the new coaching staff appears far from secure.
Endrick's path back into the picture is also complicated. The Brazilian forward, returning from a loan spell, faces stiff competition for minutes in an attacking group already stacked with senior options, and there is no guarantee Mourinho will give him the regular football he needs at this stage of his development.
Mastantuono presents a similar dilemma. Real Madrid invested roughly €60 million in the young Argentine, but a player of his age typically needs consistent first-team minutes to develop — something that may be hard to guarantee behind the club's more established forwards this season.
Not every story is heading for the exit, though. Gonzalo García had been expected to be moved on before Mourinho arrived, but the coach is reportedly a fan of his distinctive style and profile as a forward, and the striker now looks set to stay and fight for a role rather than be sold.
The immediate backdrop to all of this is preparation, not paperwork. Real Madrid face Leganés on Tuesday at 19:00 in their second preseason friendly at Valdebebas, having opened their preseason schedule against Alcorcón — exactly the kind of low-stakes fixture Mourinho is expected to use to run his eye over the fringe players whose futures are still being decided.
None of the departures ONE describes are confirmed sales, and no fees have been reported for any of the six names on Mourinho's list. But the shape of the message from Madrid is consistent: after four heavyweight arrivals, the next test of the project is how cleanly Mourinho can trim a squad built for someone else's system into one built for his.
